Our Weekend

This weekend, Carol drove to San Antonio to spend some sister time and to participate in a sewing class at Grome’s with her sister Donna. While she was gone, I tended shop on the ranch.

My Friday morning chores included feeding the cows and burning trash. Tree trimming will come later in the day. First item on my list today is feed the cows.

Hay rounds, weighing about 1,000 lbs. each, are stored in the barn in stacks of two. First step is to get the round on it’s side. This is done by raising the tractor’s bucket above the round, and then move tractor forward so the bucket is centered above the round. Rotate the bucket so the blade points downward, then lower the bucket into the mid-point on top of the round until the blade is pressed a couple of inches into the round. Slowly move tractor back until round tips over. Notice the chain in the third photo? It is hanging from the top edge of the bucket. Next step is to rotate the bucket so the blade is pointing straight down. Move tractor forward until the chain is on the far side of the round. Lower the bucket until the blade is just touching the top of the round – the chain should now be hanging behind the round. Move tractor backward until the blade clears the near end of the round. Next, lower the bucket until the blade is below the center point of the round. Rotate the bucket upward. This will remove the slack from the chain and lift the round. Last photo on the right shows success.

The girls were waiting for me. A nylon mesh that is tightly wrapped around the hay has to be removed before the hay can be set into the feeder. While round is suspended, the mesh is cut loose. The mesh is then tied to the end of the chain so when the round is placed in the feeder, raising the bucket should pull the mesh off the round (photo 2). The girls were happy and are feasting.

We recycle plastic bottles, glass, steel and aluminum. Food scrap that did came from the ground is recycled in the pasture. The rest of household trash is burned. While I’m watching the burning trash, the girls are still feasting.

Carol made it to San Antonio after stopping in Giddings for an oil change. That only took two hours. Where is a Quick Lube when you need them. She and Donna spend Friday afternoon shopping for jeans to recycle for class. After a girl dinner, they crashed since they needed their rest for the class on Saturday.

Diane Lamb gave them an introduction on recycling sweatshirts. The idea is to start with a standard boring sweatshirt. Then embellish it by adding recycled jeans or any other discarded clothing item to it. Here are some examples of what the class produced.

When Carol finishes her sweatshirt, I’ll have her model it for the blog. Meanwhile feel free to leave a comment if you want Carol to contact you about this project.

After 4 hours of cutting, sewing and doing with sewers do when they get together, class was over and it was time for Carol to head back to the ranch. Other than a missed turn just outside of San Marcos, Carol’s trip was uneventful.

While Carol was sewing with her sister, I decided to do a little target practice. Knowing Carol and I are going to test for our CHL in February, practicing makes sense. My targets are a bit crude but they serve the purpose. The target on the left was 10 yards away and the target on the right was just shy of 20 yards away. Five single shots into each target (16″ x 20″). Looks like I did OK.

Hello, hope that all is well with the two of you. How is ranch life treating you? Have you made any decisions about this spring and summer? I sure envy that you are so in the dark and can see the stars. Thought. About ya’ll last night when the moon was full. Been a long, long time since I was in a dark place to really see the stars. That what living in the city does for you! LOL!! We are still home bound . Bob and I are still working. I am having some tests run (2 MRI’s one lower back the other brain) I. Have been having numbness and burning in my legs and feet for a couple of years. Got my Medicare in Dec. and have been using it. Primary care and now neurologist. I have a nerve test the other day and found inflammation in my lower back. The nerves in my legs and feet are alright. Also have had some weird double vision that comes and goes and have had balance problems for 30 years. The best birthday ever as now I qualify for Medicare . Have not had insurance in many years. Sure hope that I can get fixed up so that we can travel some. Bob is holding together real good. Hope that he does not fall apart. LOL! We think, talk and pray for you and Carol. Take care my friends and may God keep his hand on you. Bob & Carol